The Lincoln Log

The Abraham Lincoln High School Boys’ varsity volleyball team ended their season well with the sweet taste of victory. They accomplished an astonishing feat this season with a perfect 8-0 record.

The season started on March 8, but the team started conditioning in early January. Jumping exercises and laps around the track helped the team get in shape for the long season ahead of them. Luckily, sore muscles and minor injuries all paid off in the end.

The Lincoln High team had a total of 10 players on the team this year, consisting of both new and returning players. There were 7 returning players that helped steer the team to victory. Coaches Vincent Tang and Roberto Chui contributed greatly to the team’s success on the court, coaching everyday after school in the south gymnasium.

The San Francisco Section final was on Thursday, May 10 at Lincoln against Lowell High School. Friends, family and alumni filled the bleachers in the south gymnasium, ready for an exciting game against these long rival teams.

Mustang boys started off strong, but let the Cardinals slip in and win the first game, 25-22.

“After we lost that first game, Roberto and I tried to let them know that it’s still their game to win – the only team that could beat them is themselves,” Tang said. “They really pulled it together and knew what they had to do.”

The boys pulled together and finished with three strong games, 25-18, 25-13, and 25-16, earning them the title of the AAA Boys’ Volleyball Champions. The team gathered together on the court after their victorious win and hugged each other and cried out with joy.

Lincoln, and their longtime rivals, Washington and Lowell, has fought tremendously to win the championships every year. Although there has been some tension between the teams in past years, they are able to overcome their indifferences and show sportsmanship and utmost camaraderie.

In the past four years, Lincoln was able to snatch two AAA championships, once in 2005, as well as this year, 2007. In 2004 Lincoln made it to the playoffs against Washington, but unfortunately, and disappointingly, lost.

Coach Florence Morodomi (also known as Ms. Mo) lead the team to victory in 2005. She was a well-respected and deeply admired teacher and volleyball coach who passed away two years ago after a long battle with cancer. She has inspired all of her teams to work hard to achieve their goals. Last year Lincoln made it to the playoffs again with a fairly new team and new coaches. They made it far to the playoffs against Lowell. This year the team was able to pull through to become champions.

“We all wanted to see all of our hard work pay off and prove to everyone that we were a champion team. We knew that Lowell would bring it hard, and we just wanted to prove that we could bring it harder,” senior captain Curtis Lee said.